Big Trees, Fast Boat
Today we drove north from Eureka to Klamath to take a boat tour up the Klamath River. On the way we stopped at the Lady Bird Johnson grove in the Redwood National park. It's always amazing to see the giant trees. There were redwoods and douglas fir that seemed to be trying to keep up and were over 200 feet tall and straight as an arrow. We're staying in Eureka an extra day so we can take more hikes in the forest.
The boat tour took us upriver about 20 miles past where the road ends. We actually went as far as where the road ends coming down from farther up the river. We saw golden eagles and osprey in flight, a bald eagle perched in a tree and a few locals seeking fish in the river. The boat we were in carried 23 people and had two 350+ horsepower V8 motors so we could cruise up the river at 30-40 miles per hour. It's a jet boat so it can keep moving even when the water is only a foot deep. We did a bunch of 360-degree spins and got a good rinsing. We started out in 65-degree weather down by the ocean and ended up in 90-degree heat at the lodge where we enjoyed a steak dinner before heading back down. What a blast!
We ended the day under a fog canopy at a dark-sanded beach with new sand - it's still the size of sesame seeds so you get sesame-crusted feet.
That's Jimbo and Mary standing in front of a REALLY big tree!
Here we are loaded into the jet boat.
Here we are mid-spin on the way back down.
The other boat at cruising speed. Woo hoo!
This beach was almost black and we had it to ourselves - in 60 degree weather, of course. A seal swimming by checked us out while we were playing frisbee.
